Triangular typology approach to studying performance management systems in high‐tech firms

Abstract

AbstractTo reflect the needs of high‐tech firms and high‐tech employees a set of interrelated models (triangular typology) of performance management systems is developed. The triangular typology articulates and aligns the elements in the performance management process and it expands on traditional binary models by adding a third (high‐tech) dimension for each element. It is hypothesized that high‐tech employees prefer the ‘high‐tech’ dimensions over the other two dimensions of each triangle. A mail questionnaire is used to collect data on the actual and desired performance management practices. All but one of the hypotheses are supported. The ‘actual’ practices are mostly in the traditional corner of the triangle. The disparity between the level of actual practices and the level of desired practices indicates that high‐tech employees are not well served by current performance management systems.